Karnataka

The Welsh progressive rock band Karnataka were formed in 1997 by founder members Ian Jones (bass/guitars), Rachel Jones (vocals) and Jonathan Edwards (keyboards). The embryonic band were augmented by guitarist Paul Davies and drummer Gavin Griffiths, who had both played with the other members of Karnataka in other bands or in rehearsals. Enjoying an instant rapport, the five piece Karnataka recorded what became their debut album, Karnataka, in Ian's basic home studio. In the beginning, the band had no thought of actually releasing the album they had made the recording for their own pleasure. As they started to play live shows in their new configuration, however, word of mouth ensured that an increasing number of people started asking for their own copies.

Encouraged, the band had already started writing the material that would eventually appear on their second album, The Storm. The band's second album was recorded between August-November 1999. While the album was well received, the band still felt it did not accurately reflect their live sound.

While working on their third album, Delicate Flame Of Desire, the band worked harder on the arrangement of backing and harmony vocals, eventually leading them to take on vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Anne-Marie Helder as a full-time member of the band, expanding the line-up to a six-piece.

Still touring extensively, the band were also working on more new material, some of which was premiered over the course of 2003/2004. The band continued to expand their fanbase and received increasingly positive reviews. A double live album, Strange Behaviour, was released in mid 2004 to accompany what was to be the band's final tour with the existing line-up.

There followed a period of inactivity, during which the members of the band embarked upon new musical projects. Helder released her first solo recording, "The Contact" EP, whilst Ian Jones joined forces with songwriter Steve Evans and guitarist Ian Simmons to record an album under the moniker Chasing The Monsoon. Edwards, Davies and Griffiths, along with Helder on vocals, joined forces under the name Panic Room and are currently finishing recording their debut album.

Karnataka was then surprisingly resurrected as a band when Ian Jones' work with keyboardist Gonzalo Carrera on the Chasing The Monsoon project took on a life of its own. The pair were joined by veteran drummer Bob Dalton (It Bites), guitarist Nick May (formerly of The Enid) and vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Alquimia, and shortly the Karnataka website announced this to be the new line-up of Karnataka itself, subsequently completed with the addition of lead vocalist Lisa Fury (who also contributed vocals to Ian's Chasing The Monsoon project). A short time later, it was announced that Alquimia and Nick May were to leave the band due to musical differences. Nick May's lead guitarist post was filled by Enrico Pinna, whilst Bob Dalton was ultimately replaced by young drum prodigy Louie Palmer. This line-up completed a short tour in early 2007, before Palmer left the band to pursue other interests.

Auditions for a new drummer resulted in the recruitment of veteran Ian Harris, and the band also took on a new backing vocalist in the shape of Philippa Cookman. The new-look band mounted another tour in October 2008, where seven songs from the new line-ups first album of new material - Moment In Time, Your World, Forsaken, The Serpent & The Sea, Tide To Fall, The Gathering Light and the instrumental State Of Grace - were performed by the band.

The new album, The Gathering Light was released in February 2010, and the band were set to tour extensively throughout the year. However, after numerous positive reviews of The Gathering Light and a few live shows, in May 2010 Lisa Fury, Ian Harris, and Gonzalo Carrera all announced that they had left the band for personal reasons.

The band subsequently announced the return of Louie Palmer on drums, and the appointment of ex-Kara multi-instrumentalist Colin Mold on guitar and violin, and Riverdance veteran Hayley Griffiths on lead vocals. Their new keyboard player has yet to be announced.

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